Strengthening small arms and light weapons (SALW) control as well as responsible ammunition management are two of our key priorities. And we contribute threefold:

First, by strengthening national and regional capacities. Germany is the second largest bilateral donor. We support non-governmental implementing partners such as the Small Arms Survey, and contribute to trust funds including UNSCAR and SALIENT.

Second, by closing gaps of international regulations, such as in the case of conventional ammunition.

Third, by developing and promoting best practice.

That said, I would like to outline – in response to question 2 – the best practice of the roadmap model. This model provides targeted support in particularly affected regions.

Like in the case of the Western Balkan Roadmap, the central component of the roadmap model is to have a regional and holistic approach.

What this means is: several countries in a region agree on a handful of targets such as harmonizing the respective law in the region, capacity building in law enforcement and securing weapon ammunitions.

Key success factors are a long-term plan, concrete, realistic and measurable indicators, a close donor coordination and national ownership.

We are thrilled that the Western Balkan Roadmap has already inspired other regions, for example in the Caribbean and in Central America. This shows: the model works.

We stand ready to engage with member states and to share more detailed information based on our experiences with the roadmap model.

With regards to Germany's role as the 2025 Chair of the PBC, we would be open to address the topic of small arms and light weapons control in the PBC if member states see merit in discussing this important challenge in the framework of specific country settings.